It started with a moment of ferocity for Brandon Ingram.
Just two minutes into Sunday’s game, he sized up his defender before dusting him
with a drive to the baseline.
From there, he took flight for a one-handed reverse dunk, contributing for the
first of many times in the Lakers’ 107-102 win over Memphis.
Attack Mode #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/Vh0rlpXqQj
Ingram dropped 20 points on the Grizzlies, including 14 in a second quarter that
saw him singlehandedly take over the offense.
As with his last handful of games, the sophomore put his 7-foot-3 wingspan on
display. Six of his seven baskets came on drives to the rack, even when
challenged by former Defensive Player of the Year Marc Gasol.
Ingram finished through contact for a pair of and-1 buckets, and also
contributed seven rebounds.
But the 20-year-old knows he has more to offer with his length.
“I think I’ve been doing an OK job of it right now, but I think I can be even
better using my length, drawing fouls going toward the basket,” Ingram said. ”
(I’m) still working.”
Ingram’s success in the paint was mirrored by Kyle Kuzma, who once again shined
in his second career start with 13 points and 12 rebounds.
While the rookie badgered yet another opponent with his drives and cuts to the
hoop, he was hardly surprised by his third double-double in the first 10 games
of his career.
“Not at all,” he said. “I play hard and I rebound. Of course I can score. That’s
pretty natural.”
Ingram and Kuzma provided the Lakers (5-5) much of their inside scoring, while
Brook Lopez lit it up from beyond the arc.
Two days after hitting six 3-pointers against Brooklyn, Lopez splashed four
triples on the Grizzlies (6-4).
When not popping out for treys, he was busy collecting five assists, including
an eye-popping, behind-the-back dime in transition to Kuzma for the reverse
dunk.
Lopez hits Kuzma with the behind-the-back pass for an easy dunk #LakeShow (:
@SpectrumSN & @spectdeportes) pic.twitter.com/CJIKsvhyHN
Lopez was clearly the Lakers’ top deep threat, but it was Kuzma and Kentavious
Caldwell-Pope who used the long ball to give Los Angeles its largest lead of the
night.
Halfway through the third quarter, Kuzma drained a triple before KCP added two
more back-to-back, capping off a run of 12 unanswered points that pushed the
Lakers’ lead to 82-60.
When the Grizzlies managed to claw back, Caldwell-Pope stepped up once again.
After a 9-0 run, Memphis trailed by just three with 42.5 seconds remaining. KCP
put an end to the danger by stripping James Ennis’ layup attempt, and then iced
the game moments after with a pull-up jumper over Gasol.
“(Memphis) did have a lot of momentum, but that play right there and the bucket
on the other end slowed that momentum down,” Caldwell-Pope said. “And we
finished the game up.”
Now back up to the .500 mark after winning for the third time in four games,
head coach Luke Walton felt that this year’s solid start is more sustainable
than when the Lakers began 10-10 last season.
The difference, he said, is his players’ willingness to prioritize defense each
game. How quickly they’ve accepted that challenge has surprised even him.
“Every night we’re finding ways to compete and bring the energy level and
defend,” Walton said. “Ten games in, I wouldn’t have thought honestly that we
were ready to start doing that.”
Six Lakers reach double-digits in scoring tonight as they defeat the Grizzlies,
107-102 #LakersWin pic.twitter.com/KkC3FAnxzK
Notes Lonzo Ball had nine points, five rebounds and nine assists, while Jordan
Clarkson scored 15 points. … Memphis was led by Tyreke Evans (26 points) and
Mike Conley (23). … A sold-out crowd of 18,997 packed STAPLES Center,
including Chris Bosh, Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig and rapper Kanye West.
Got another #LakersWin!!
A post shared by Los Angeles Lakers (@lakers) on Nov 5, 2017 at 9:46pm PST
Player: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Player: Brandon Ingram
Player: Kyle Kuzma
Player: Brook Lopez
Media Content: http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/171105-lakers-grizzlies-recap
Media Keywords: NBA, Sports, Los Angeles Lakers, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope,
Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Brook Lopez, Luke Walton, Los Angeles Lakers,
Memphis Grizzlies
Media Thumbnail:
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Taxonomy: Postgame Wrap
Story Link: http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/171105-lakers-grizzlies-recap
